Lair of the Clockwork God
Release Date: February 21, 2020
Adventure, point-and-click, platformers, 2D, humorous, arcade elements, indie games, singleplayer
OpenCritic
An indirect continuation of the adventure series from the independent Size Five Games studio. In Lair of the Clockwork God Ben and Dan return in another adventure that combines point-and-click with a two-dimensional platformer.
Lair of the Clockwork God is a kind of continuation of the adventure series Ben There, Dan That! launched in 2008. The game was created thanks to the work of the independent studio Size Five Games with Dan Marshall at the helm. The team also created a two-dimensional platformer The Swindle and a online shooter Gun Monkeys.
Plot
The main characters are Ben and Dan, whom we last saw in Time Gentelemen, Please! as time travelers. However, after that story, Dan said that he was tired of old-fashioned adventure games and dreams of a career as a hero of indie platform games. Meanwhile, the world is once again in danger, this time because of many apocalypes. Ben and Dan must use their unique abilities on the next expedition to teach an old computer how to feel. This is the only way to stop the impending doom.
Despite the return of the old heroes, Lair of the Clockwork God is not a continuation of Time Gentlemen, Please!, but independent game. The stories from the two titles are not directly related, so that knowledge of previous studio games is not required. However, the specific humor, well known to Size Five Games fans, has been preserved.
Mechanics
Lair of the Clockwork God combines a classic point-and-click adventure game with a two-dimensional platformer. During the game we control both Ben and Dan, which are characterized by different gameplay styles. The first one cannot jump or run, but the equipment and is able to combine items into useful gadgets and point out important elements of the environment. His companion, on the other hand, has no problem with lowering or jumping on platforms, but will do nothing with most objects, except push them to another location. The gameplay consists of using the skills of both characters to unlock subsequent stages.
Technical assault
Lair of the Clockwork God uses a two-dimensional graphics that is reminiscent of old adventure games. The dialogues are displayed as subtitles and the characters speak in inarticulate voices. The gameplay is accompanied by relaxing music.
Videos and Screens
[0:57] Lair of the Clockwork God trailer #1
Nintendo Life: 7 / 10 by Stuart Gipp
Lair of the Clockwork God is a difficult one to score. What it does well is brilliant – the humour is great, with constant jokes both quickfire and slow-burn – but the gameplay is a more complex matter. While it's not bad by any reasonable metric, it is awkward in places.
PlayStation Universe: 9 / 10 by David Carcasole
Lair Of The Clockwork God is an excellent game that will take you on a hilarious journey solving puzzles with Dan and Ben, even if the journey is shorter than I would like and the jokes don't really read to anyone who isn't quite steeped within games culture.
TrueAchievements: 4.5 / 5 by Luke Albiges
Lair of the Clockwork God is an exceptional fusion of genres that can't claim to do either individually better than any other game but can certainly claim to do both simultaneously better.
Lair of the Clockwork God Summary
Platforms:
PC Windows February 21, 2020
PlayStation 4 November 6, 2020
Xbox One September 4, 2020
Nintendo Switch September 4, 2020
Developer: Size Five Games
Publisher: Size Five Games
Age restrictions: 12+
Lair of the Clockwork God System Requirements
PC / Windows
Minimum: Dual Core 2.4 GHz, 4 GB RAM, graphic card 512 MB GeForce 8800 or better, 1 GB HDD, Windows 7